Our website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience. If you’d like to learn more about the cookies we set or how to manage what cookies your browser accepts, you can find out on our cookie information page.

The IoS delivers the ASA’s courses and is a member organisation. Whether you are a teacher, coach, employer or club you will find everything you need to know about qualifications or educating your workforce.

Safe Supervision for a quality teaching and coaching swimming programme

The ASA, in association with the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management (ISRM), takes a position on safety and quality of swimming programmes. We feel a safe environment is paramount to swimming lessons and coaching sessions but the quality of the learning experience is also important.

With regards to safety, pupil to teacher ratios have been agreed by the industry’s lead agencies as a guide for safe supervision during lessons and coaching sessions – but the ASA is also keen to stress it is important that a full risk assessment is undertaken in each case to determine actual pupil to teacher ratios.Risk assessment should be at the heart of all decision-making on safety in a swimming environment – and this especially applies to swimming lessons and coaching sessions.

The ASA gives this guidance because there are many factors that would influence safety, not just the pupil to teacher ratio. These factors could include the:

Lifeguard provision – is the supervising teacher carrying out a dual role of teacher and lifeguard?

Design of the pool where the teaching is taking place, e.g. shape and blind spots, water depth

Ability of pupils being taught

Number of assistants and what level these assistants are qualified to

However the quality of the learning experience is also important and this will be dictated by the quality of the teacher or coach who should hold an appropriate UKCC (UK Coaching Certificate) qualification. The class size will also be determined by the learning outcome the teacher or coach wishes to achieve.

Clearly a competent ASA qualified teacher, licensed with the ASA, would under certain circumstances handle large groups; however smaller groups may be necessary for children with special needs.

“The ASA is committed to ensuring all children are taught to swim using a quality programme, delivered by appropriately qualified teachers or coaches in the safest environment.

“The industry acknowledges that the ASA National Plan for Teaching Swimming ensures the quality of learn to swim schemes, and UK Coaching Certificate endorsement means our Level 2 teachers and coaches have reached a level of competence expected by Sport Coach UK and Skills Active allowing them to teach effectively.” Anne Adams-King, the ASA’s Director of English Programmes.